The present invention relates to pumps and, more particularly, to centrifugal pumps for use in connection with fluid circulation systems for swimming pools, spas and other recreational bodies of water.
Numerous pumps have been developed in the past for use in connection with fluid circulation systems for swimming pools, spas, whirlpools and the like. A pump should adapt easily to the specific configuration of the existing fluid circulation system. For example, a return line of the fluid circulation system (which is typically connected to the pump, directly or indirectly) could be positioned either horizontally, vertically, or in any position therebetween; and, therefore, the outlet of the pump must be aligned with the return line accordingly.
However, many conventional pumps are not easily adaptable to a wide variety of configurations of fluid systems, and doing so typically involves substantial or total disassembly of the pumps. As a result, much time and labor are required to make the pumps adaptable.
Sometimes, a contractor who has been retained to install the pump must carry on hand two sets of pumps, one having a vertically positioned outlet and one having a horizontally positioned outlet, in order to ensure he or she has the correct pump that will adapt to the specific configuration of the fluid circulation system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,531,092 discloses a pump having a casing with a single outlet which can be positioned vertically or horizontally, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, the operation of altering the position of casing involves releasing a latching mechanism and manually turning the pump casing until the latch engages one of the tabs in the pump housing to align and secure the outlet in the desired position.
There is a need for a simple method of selecting the position of the outlet which involved less manual handling of the pump with easier selection of the outlet position to suit different operational requirements and configurations of the fluid circulation system.